I never believed the future of gaming would take this path.
My father used to passionately tell me that the VRMMO genre would dominate the market someday. That prediction, which once seemed like the feverish dream of an enthusiast, materialized with almost prophetic accuracy.
It's the year 2080. Virtual reality has devoured the electronic entertainment industry. VRMMO titles are now the standard, branching into countless subgenres that capture the imagination of millions.
It's a shame he isn't here to see it.
My name is Shin, I'm 24 years old. I work as a programmer specializing in code correction and creation for indie VRMMO studios. The irony of my situation doesn't escape me: I'm living the dream my father yearned to pursue sixteen years ago, long before the first authentic VRMMO saw the light of the market.
My existence could be described as monotonous. I work from home, enclosed within four walls that I rarely leave, except to stock up on provisions. My computer screen has become my window to the world and my livelihood.
Today was no different. I spent the morning organizing the attic of the house, a task I had postponed for too long.
"What's this?" I muttered upon finding a forgotten box in a corner.
Inside rested the old computer my father used for programming. I felt a lump in my throat as I recognized it.
"Wow... I had completely forgotten this was still here."
That device represented my first contact with video game programming. Driven by a mixture of nostalgia and curiosity, I decided to bring it to my workstation. I connected it to the power, pressed the power button, and to my amazement, it still worked.
"It's incredible..."
This relic housed countless memories. It was the machine where my father conceived VRMMO games long before they became popular, where I also took my first steps in this world. I couldn't let it continue gathering dust in oblivion.
"Let's see what treasures you hide."
After several minutes of startup, the screen came to life. I began exploring the files, finding exactly what I expected: incomplete VRMMO prototypes that my father had programmed with passion, albeit using now-obsolete technology.
It's fascinating to think how these games have evolved. They didn't start with the full immersion we know today. In that pioneering era, simple virtual reality glasses were used that tried to connect with human senses in a rudimentary way. Over the years, the technology was refined until culminating in the current full immersion helmets that completely transform the experience.
My father focused his efforts on perfecting those primitive glasses, seeking to make them more immersive while simultaneously developing his own titles. Although he wasn't a hardware expert—his true talent lay in programming—his obsession drove him to overcome his limitations, convinced that someday VRMMOs would conquer the world.
And they did, though his eyes never got to witness what he had predicted.
"A folder with images? I don't remember seeing this before..."
I knew most of the projects stored on this computer, but that folder was new to me. Upon opening it, I felt as if an invisible hand was squeezing my heart.
"It would have been better not to click on this..."
They were photographs of my childhood with my parents. Images from a distant time, when we were three.
I avoid thinking about my mother. She passed away when I was ten, victim of a terminal illness that consumed her without mercy. Her departure plunged my father into an abyss of depression, confining him to his room where only programming seemed to offer him comfort.
As if losing my mother wasn't torment enough, fate also took him from me. Just three years later, they found him lifeless in his bedroom, connected to his virtual glasses. According to the police, he died from starvation, lost in the digital worlds he created.
Due to my young age, they didn't allow me to see his body. I only retain the image of that stretcher leaving the house, with a white sheet hiding what remained of my family. Days later, I began a new life with my grandparents until, years later, I gathered enough money to become independent.
I guess I had a pretty difficult childho—
"Huh...?"
A solitary tear fell on the keyboard, pulling me from my memories. I quickly dried it with the back of my hand.
"Enough sadness for today. I'd better distract myself with something else."
I closed the folder, took a deep breath, and continued exploring the computer's contents. It comforted me to think that, wherever they were now, my mother was no longer suffering, and my father would surely feel proud knowing his predictions weren't in vain.
"Wait a moment... What's this?"
My eyes stopped on a title that, like the image folder, I didn't remember seeing before.
"BloodThirst Online...?"
The game's name was accompanied by the 'beta' tag, something strange considering that my father never completed any of his projects, limiting himself to test versions or technical demonstrations.
This one seemed different.
Curiosity got the better of me. I clicked and a minimalist cinematic appeared on screen: simple white words on a black background narrating a story.
"Years ago, a strange disease appeared that began turning people into blood-thirsty vampires. These beings started attacking and devouring humans to ensure their survival, for if they didn't feed, they would perish. Over time, the vampires developed methods to camouflage themselves among the population, making it almost impossible to identify them. This is where you come in, esteemed player. We need your help to end this threat!"
The message, lengthy and dramatic, unfolded in red letters on a completely black background, creating an unsettling atmosphere.
"Despite being created by my father, I must admit the premise is somewhat generic," I muttered to myself. "However, I'm intrigued to see how he developed it."
I leaned over to check the box and found a pair of dust-covered virtual reality glasses. I carefully cleaned them, hoping they would still work.
"Here we go."
I connected them to the computer and put them on. The character creation interface appeared before my eyes: simple but functional, allowing slight modifications to facial features, eye color, and hair.
"I like this style," I decided, opting for intense red hair and yellow eyes that gave my avatar a fantastic, almost supernatural appearance.
Next, I moved on to combat selection. The game offered various initial weapons, clarifying that this choice wouldn't limit my subsequent experience, as I could use any equipment I found. A system that granted remarkable freedom.
"I'll take the dagger," I chose after a moment of consideration. "A small weapon I can handle with speed."
Finally, I reached the screen to enter my name. Without complicating things, I used my real name: Shin.
With everything ready, I pressed the button to enter the virtual world, the old glasses firmly adjusted over my eyes.
"Are you sure you want to play with an older experience version? You can use the full immersion helmet if you have one for a more realistic experience."
"What...?"
A chill ran down my spine as I read that message.
"How is it possible for this game to allow the use of such current technology?"
It made absolutely no sense that a title developed by my father years ago would recognize modern full immersion devices. However...
I decided to take the risk.
"Maybe it's just a system error and eventually it won't recognize it," I convinced myself as I connected my full immersion helmet to the USB port of the old computer.
"Immersion experience detected! Do you now wish to enter the world?"
I was perplexed by that message. Nothing that was happening made any sense.
"Maybe when I enter the world, some error will appear... Yes, that makes sense."
With mechanical movements, I placed the helmet on my head, turned it on, and confirmed my entry into the virtual world.
And then, darkness completely engulfed me...